If you are a local business and you don’t have any idea what I’m talking about, you’re a bit behind. Gone are the days where we walk the expansive hallways of our local malls and make impulse decisions based on the “shiny” object in the window. Our society has evolved. We have options. Our marketplace is virtual and we know it. So why aren’t we running our businesses that way?

Today, its all about ratings, stars and comments! In 2011, 60% of consumers made their decision to buy on online before entering the store. In 2015, that number rose to 85%!

It’s time to operate your business like the big boys do. #Walmart won the retail race in the 80’s and 90’s by dominating real estate. They created the largest footprint they could throughout the south, rural communities and right off of the highways of America.

#Amazon grabbed their market share by dominating our buying habits virtually. In essence it was the same concept, but instead of land, they grabbed our screens.

Today, they are both trying to figure out how to make a dent in the business of each other’s turf. Walmart has been swimming upstream in the dot com business for years and have made some inroads with acquisitions of sites like Jet.com, while Amazon is looking to go more brick and mortar with their acquisition of Whole Foods. What can we learn from them? There’s value in both!

If you have a brick and mortar store and you aren’t managing your virtual pillars or creating transactional opportunities through e-commerce, you are leaving money on the table. There’s no other way to look at it.

Don’t let it overwhelm you. We can help. We have asuite of servicesthat we can provide that can help you manage your virtual pillars. Seemlessly. Whether you want a do it yourself solution, would like a little help, or would like us to do it for your, we’ve got options.